The third of six Ballcocke children, Yorick his his father's eldest son and is set to inherit the family fishing business, which is large enough to support them and provides jobs for several other families. Still, one bad season would cause them to struggle and two would ruin them. Yorick has no real interest in this business, instead focusing on artistic pursuits, and views being involved in his father's business as an undesirable but unavoidable eventuality.

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On the first day of April in 1871, the Ballcocke family welcomed their first son into their gingerbread-esque townhouse in Cardiff, Wales. Like his older sisters, his parents set about choosing him a name from Shakespeare — two dead characters from the same play. Since he was born on April Fool’s, he was named after the fool in Hamlet and the play's title character. Two years later he is joined by Mercutio Tybalt, and two years after that Titus Saturninus is born.

In 1874, the eldest Ballcocke child (Desdemona, called Mona) goes to Hogwart. In '77 Cordelia is born and is the final child to enter the family. A year later, Tamora (called Tammy) joins her elder sister at Hogwarts. The summer before Yorick is to start Hogwarts, his eldest sister finishes her education.

In 1881, it is finally time for Yorick to go to Hogwarts. On the train he meets another boy from Wales, Warren Lucky, and the two become fast friends almost instantly. He is sorted into Ravenclaw.

Early in his second year, lonely and having spent his first year primarily only in the company Tammy and Warren, Yorick joins a 'secret society' called the Black Quills. He occasionally worries that he'll end up being asked to do something odd, though he's not sure what to expect and nothing iffy ever surfaces. Mercutio joins Yorick when he return to school for his third year. The only elective Yorick has chosen is Ancient Runes.

In his fifth year, Yorick finds himself reacting oddly to his best friend. He keeps blushing and getting all awkward around Warren. The pair decide it's some strange combination of study-related stress and some sort of illness.

Yorick is intelligent and artistic. He's a shy sort, punctuated with moments where his friendliness overcomes that. He's especially shy around people he’s attracted to, whether or not he realizes it, and is awkward when embarrassed. Yorick is prone to moodiness and fits of dramatics.